Moments
by SortItOut
Summary: A lovely little Luke and Lorelai story that starts right after Dean Interrupts the pair eating in the gazebo in A Tisket A Tasket and goes from there… Permanent Hiatus.
1. Coyote and The Road Runner

**Moments**

**Authors Note: **A new fic how very exciting. I was watching _A Tisket A Tasket_ the other day and I was wishing like I do every time I see it that there was a little more Luke and Lorelai and a little less Rory/Jess saga. So that is how this particular fic was born. I could probably end it here, but I figure since I am done with _All That's Left_ I might as well make this fic into an ongoing thing. I think at this point every episode has had its fair share of fics that surround it so I know this isn't anything ground breaking but please review, and let me know what you think.

**Premise: **A lovely little Luke and Lorelai story that starts right after Dean Interrupts the pair eating in the gazebo in _A Tisket A Tasket _and goes from there….

**Chapter 1 "Coyote and The Road Runner"**

After Lorelai had finished hearing from Dean about the dangers of Jess she quickly made her way back over to where the buyer of her basket was waiting.

"So what was that about?" Luke asked as Lorelai sat back down next to him.

"Nothing worth repeating…" Lorelai said as she popped a fry in her mouth.

"Are you sure?" Luke asked. "Dean looked pretty intense."

"So, you were saying this is nice." Lorelai said trying to change the subject off of anything Rory, Dean, and Jess related. She wasn't going to let some weird teenage love triangle ruin her perfectly nice day. Lorelai found it interesting that it was Luke of all people that she was having such a nice time with, but she quickly put the thought into the back of her mind as Luke began talking.

"Was not," Luke quickly replied.

"Yeah you were. You said it. I heard it. Just because Dean came and interrupted doesn't change the fact that you just said it was nice." Lorelai countered.

"I thought that is exactly what it meant. Dean interrupted the moment hence no more moment." Luke concluded.

"So you thought you and I were having a moment?" Lorelai asked and couldn't help but shoot a smile at him.

"No, not like that, not like a **_moment_** moment. Just like a moment as in a moment of time, not like a special Luke and Lorelai moment." Luke stumbled nervously.

"So we have had special Luke and Lorelai moments before?" Lorelai asked teasingly. God it was easy to bait him.

"Oh jeez," was Luke's only reply.

"Nothing better than watching a flustered Luke Danes," Lorelai said with a laugh. For some reason Lorelai couldn't seem to stop smiling at him. He was so cute when he was flustered.

"Oh come on Lorelai you know…" Luke said still trying to get himself out of whatever scary path he was heading down.

Luke just didn't think now was the right time to admit to her, well anything. For starters, any admission he had should not be shared with her when they were both eating food off of their own laps. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't even sure what he would be admitting. Would he admit that they had special moments, or that he liked them, or that he lo—liked her ? No way, he wasn't that stupid. If he knew one thing, he knew Lorelai. If he actually said any of those things out loud she would be out of there faster then he could say Road Runner.

"Would it be so bad…" Lorelai started to say. Her head still lost in the romantic notion of basket making.

"What?" Luke asked.

"To have a moment, it's not a big deal." Lorelai wondered absently.

"So you think we have moments…" Luke began cautiously. Maybe Lorelai wouldn't pull a Road Runner after all.

"That is not what I said…" Lorelai tried to back track.

The romantic basket daze lifted as she realized what she and Luke were delving into. Whatever that weird sparky thing she constantly felt with Luke was she knew it was better if they didn't talk about it. It was better if she didn't think about it. It was better if she didn't ruin one of the best friendships she had ever had.

"Right, okay." Luke quickly said. No, he was right. If he said anything about his feelings towards her he would be the preverbal coyote. Always getting hit in the head by acme brand anvils and never actually catching up to that stupid bird.

Lorelai was getting increasingly uncomfortable about the hole she was digging for herself. So in typical Lorelai fashion she decided on a quick subject change.

"So I have been thinking…" Lorelai began excitedly.

"That's always dangerous…." Luke quipped.

"Hey! I resent that. Anyway, I was thinking about proposing a deal to you." Lorelai continued.

"Proposing, why Lorelai this is so sudden." Luke said in his gravely sarcastic tone.

"I didn't say proposing marriage, silly. I said a deal." Lorelai quickly corrected.

"And what deal is that." Luke asked slightly intrigued.

"I eat one of the carrots you have over there, and you give me free coffee for the rest of my life." Lorelai smiled. She was extremely proud of her idea.

"You are one funny lady." Luke deadpanned.

"I will have you know I am completely serious." Lorelai returned.

"You really think that I am so concerned about whether or not you eat a carrot that I will give you free coffee for life?" Luke wondered.

"Yes I do." Lorelai confirmed with a shake of her head.

"Well keep dreaming there kid." Luke laughed.

"I don't think you understand I would eat the whole thing. Swallow it and everything." Lorelai explained.

"Lorelai, I have seen you eat vegetables before. Not as much as I see you eat horrible things that will lead to your untimely death but still…"

"So you are saying me eating a carrot would not be a big enough sacrifice…" Lorelai concluded.

"Well, not exactly my point." Luke stated.

"Fine, you drive a hard bargain mister. I will eat two carrots. You can't say no to me eating two carrots." Lorelai said with an overly exasperated tone.

"Lorelai, you do realize I give you most of your coffee for free as it is." Luke said becoming slightly agitated.

"Yes, but how can I ensure that will continue for my whole life if I don't form some kind of binding agreement." Lorelai cajoled.

"So you are willing to eat carrots for something you already get. I don't understand." Luke said. He took his baseball cap off and then put it quickly back on. Fiddling with his cap was some how soothing him as Lorelai and her craziness upped his level of frustration.

"It was just a thought. Fine, you win. I get coffee free for the rest of my life and I don't eat the carrots." Lorelai said with a satisfied smile.

"Its times like these where I am faced with a dilemma. Do I A, let it go and agree with whatever crazy thing you just said. Or do I B, get so frustrated with you that some of that cartoon steam begins to actually explode out of my ears." Luke began to rant.

"Well I have to say that option A sounds better for the both of us." Lorelai pretended to contemplate.

"Option A it is." Luke quickly agreed. Not wanting to ruin the perfectly nice time they were having. There was that word again, _nice._

"So I have a question. If you have seen me eat healthy before why do you give me such a hard time?" Lorelai wondered.

"Because I care about…." Luke started, and as the words slipped out of his mouth he immediately tried to erase them. With a stumble, he finished his sentence with, "About all the innocent animals you consume."

Luke knew how lame it sounded. He owned a diner full of various meat products. How concerned could he really be about the animals? But, he has just mentally told himself admitting any type of Lorelai related feelings was a mistake. So he went with the animals.

"The animals, really," Lorelai wasn't buying it. "The poor defenseless animals, huh, Luke suddenly a PETA spokesman are you?"

Lorelai wasn't an idiot. She knew he was about to say that he cared about her. Or at least she was pretty sure that what he had started to say. She didn't know if she was disappointed or relieved that he hadn't. She supposed the word care was not that big of a deal. She cared about whether or not Carrie and Big were ever going to get back together on _Sex and the City._ That was just a TV show, care didn't necessarily mean much. But she also cared about Rory, and that care meant love.

"Well, I should probably be getting back to the diner. " Luke said quickly. He felt the overwhelming urge to flee before he made a complete fool out of himself.

The sound of Luke's voice snapped Lorelai out of her thoughts on the various meanings of the word care.

"Oh okay." Lorelai said not able to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Whatever that weirdness was about she didn't want him to leave. It was a rare opportunity that she and Luke got to be alone together. Lorelai began to wonder if maybe that's what all this was about. They didn't know how to be alone together without having some kind of well weird moment type situation.

Luke quickly squeezed Lorelai's leg and got up.

"This was nice." Luke admitted. "We should do it again sometime." _And the hits just kept on coming_… Luke immediately chastised himself. Why did things just keep flying out of his mouth? It must be the fresh air. It was Luke's only explanation for saying the completely inappropriate things he kept saying.

"Eat in the gazebo? Talk about your love of animals? Maybe a different cause next time, you could go all Abby Hoffman and try and change the world. That is until the CIA busts you for drugs, and you are forced to leave your wife and kid and go into hiding. Start a new life, and rename yourself Barry." Lorelai nervously rambled.

Lorelai began to feel a little faint. A million questions ran through her head. Had Luke just asked her out on a date? When did something in her stomach start doing insane incessant back flips? Did she just make an Abby Hoffman reference?

"Yes, that is exactly what I meant." Luke quickly replied before he practically ran off to the diner. Luke's mind was racing. Had he just kind of sort of asked Lorelai out? And then did he proceed to run away as she rambled about 60s radicals? What in the hell was wrong with him?

After Luke was out of ear shot Lorelai spoke, "Okay, that is so not what he meant."

But if that wasn't what he meant, what exactly did he mean? The thought made Lorelai both extremely nervous and uncontrollably excited. Luke wanted to do this again sometime and he possibly cared about her. Or Lorelai was freaking out and Luke really was a lover of all animals, and he just really liked eating on a bench… Lorelai wasn't sure which explanation was scarier.

Well, whatever has just happened Lorelai knew one thing for sure. Whatever that weird sparky thing between Luke and Lorelai was it didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.


	2. One Day At A Time

**Moments**

**Authors Note: **Well here it is chapter two, please review. That rhymed. I am awesome. No seriously, reviews make me happy. That's really all I have to say. Oh wait fun really weird fact about this chapter. I threw in the Erik Estrada reference as a shout out to my mother who dumped him many many years ago to be with the man that would be my father. That is a true story. Erik Estrada was almost my daddy. Wow, that was extra random but I wanted to share. I feel closer to you all for it, ha ha. So anyway, on with the show…

**Premise: **A lovely little Luke and Lorelai story thatstarts right after Dean Interrupts the pair eating in the gazebo in _A Tisket A Tasket _and goes from there….

**Chapter 2 "One Day At A Time"**

"Luuuke!" Lorelai whaled as she made her way into the empty dinner.

"Jesus Lorelai, care to turn the volume down a notch okay there Skid Row." Luke quickly responded from where he was standing behind the counter.

Lorelai made her way over to him and dramatically plopped down the basket she was still carrying on to the floor.

"Did you just make a Skid Row reference?" Lorelai questioned with a shake of her head.

"Anyway, I will be as loud as I want to be. You Mr. Jokey Pants Mc Gee just left me. You just flat left me out there to clean up our mess. I had to touch your carrots. I am not happy!" Lorelai pouted. She looked around the diner and saw that she was alone with Luke. "There isn't anyone in this whole place, Luke. That just makes me having to clean up all ALONE even better. Knowing you have all of these invisible customers to get back to, serving them their invisible coffees and what not."

Luke realized that Lorelai was right. He was in such a hurry to hightail it out of there and get away from the things that kept flying out of his mouth that he had left his mess for Lorelai to clean up. Man, he felt like an ass. He knew of only one way to make things better.

"Yeah, sorry that kind of sucked me. I didn't know this place would die off so quickly. How about free pie on top of that coffee we already talked about." Luke offered.

"Deal," Lorelai immediately responded. "It is lucky for you that I am super hungry right now."

"We just ate, Lorelai. You consumed an enormous amount of food." Luke noted.

"Do you want me to unforgive you?" Lorelai threatened.

"No, no one huge piece of free pie coming right up." Luke quickly returned.

It was amazing to Lorelai how quickly she and Luke slipped into familiar patterns. They were back at the diner which was comfortable territory for the both of them. With the simple location change it seemed like all the awkwardness of their little almost picnic had vanished. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She was still thinking about it and her heart was still beating pretty rapidly, but she had on a good game face. She didn't know what was going on in Luke's head but he looked as calm and collected as always.

Lorelai heard the scrape of a plate sliding towards her and looked down. In front of her was a huge piece of chocolate pie and a steaming cup of hot coffee. She couldn't help but grin madly at the magic before her. Cleaning up their quasi picnic mess had totally been worth it. "Chocolate pie! I could just kiss you."

Okay, maybe she didn't have her game face on. Had she just said she could kiss him? It was just an expression right. It didn't mean she really wanted to kiss Luke. Except maybe she kind of did and not really because of the pie. No, no, no she was just thinking crazy because she had pie in front of her. She had smelt the chocolate pie and it clearly was making her high. It was the only explanation she was willing to accept for telling Luke out loud that she wanted to kiss him. It was then that Lorelai noticed the shocked but amused look on Luke's face. As she looked at him she could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I mean I just really really love chocolate pie." Lorelai tried to explain.

"Right…." Luke said with a smirk.

Lorelai became instantly irritated by the arrogance in Luke's smile and response. He had said plenty of weird things during their lunch and maybe it was time for her to remind him of that.

"It's kind of like how you care so much about all those defenseless animals." Lorelai returned a bit sarcastically.

Luke's heart constricted in his chest, damn it he knew she hadn't bought the animal thing. How was he going to get himself out of this one?

"I have other customers." Luke said gruffly before walking away from Lorelai.

Lorelai turned around and looked at Luke with an amused expression on her face. "Uh, Luke no you don't."

"Yeah well I wish I did." Luke said keeping up his gruff attitude. Maybe if he was surly enough she would lose her train of thought.

"You are so weird. Oh, I am sorry. Should I stop talking to you? Am I getting in the way of you helping out all the imaginary customers? I have it on good authority imaginary Kirk would like some invisible toast, and some make believe jelly, with a big glass of pretend milk." Lorelai said pleased to have turned the tables on Luke.

"Eat your pie, Lorelai," was Luke's only response. "I need to unload some shipments. Yell if anyone comes in."

"So you are just going to leave me out here all alone." Lorelai whined. She stuck her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout.

"You really need me here to watch you eat your pie?" Luke asked.

"Yes, I do. You can unload your shipments after I leave." Lorelai paused. "Wow, I think I have to give myself a dirty on that one."

"You could say the same thing about what you just said." Luke said with an uncharacteristic laugh.

"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked trying her best at innocence.

"I meant what you just said was probably worse then what you first said." Luke answered.

"And what did I just say?" Lorelai coaxed.

"Give yourself a dirty." Luke said not fully thinking about what he was saying.

Lorelai began to hysterically laugh.

"I… can't believe... I got… you to say… it!" Lorelai said between fits of laughter.

"Oh Jeez, seriously Lorelai you are like a twelve year old." Luke said clearly embarrassed.

"And you just made my day. Now if only I could get Scott Baio to fall in love with me all my 12 year old dreams would come true." Lorelai said with a dreamy smile.

As Lorelai spoke Luke walked around the counter and took a seat next to her.

"What are you doing?" Lorelai immediately asked.

"Well, you insist I keep you company out here. So I decided I might as well sit down."

"Oh okay. It's just a little weird." Lorelai said turning to face him as she stuck another bite of pie in her mouth.

"Why is that?" Luke asked.

"It's a whole other Luke perspective. Usually I see you across the counter, or I am sitting at a table and you are standing up taking my order. I don't think I have ever sat next to you in the diner before."

"What about on Thanksgiving?" Luke wondered.

"Oh I guess you are right. That is different though it's a holiday." Lorelai explained.

"Would you like me to get up? Would that make things less weird?" Luke asked as he began to slowly leave the stool he was occupying.

Lorelai instinctively put her hand over the hand Luke had resting on the counter.

"No, don't leave. It might be weird but it's nice." Lorelai said sincerely.

Luke did as he was told and stayed seated.

"So you were a Scott Baio girl, huh? Liz always had a thing for that guy from that one show. You know where they were CHP officers or whatever. Used to make me watch it with her every week..." Luke tried his best at nonchalance.

However, the truth was Lorelai's hand was still on his and he was pretty sure he was three seconds away from a heart attack. Luke had this irrational fear that Lorelai might notice the quickening pace of his heart. He worried that maybe she could hear the thump that was reverberating in his ears. He feared that she would instantly know that her soft hand was the cause of it all.

"Ah CHIPS and Erik Estrada! That's great. He is no Scott Baio though. I really preferred his boyish good looks. So what about you, Luke? Who was your television crush?" Lorelai asked with a smile.

"Didn't have one," Luke answered quickly.

"You are so lying. Hmm… Let me guess… What would Luke find sexy?" Lorelai pondered with a finger to her lips.

"Well, it has already been established that you liked Star Trek…" Lorelai began to laugh. "So maybe I can infer something from that."

"Lorelai…" Luke said in a warning tone.

"Okay, okay fine. Got it! You totally had the hots for Lynda Carter. The skimpy American flag leotard, the gold cuffs…. Wonder Woman!" Lorelai sang.

"Nope, it wasn't Wonder Woman." Luke replied.

"So you admit it was someone!" Lorelai announced triumphantly.

"Tell me Luke, please…" Lorelai said with doe eyes. "Was it Marsha or were you more of Jan guy?"

Luke just shook his head in response.

"Fine, just let me think for a minute." Lorelai returned. "I will figure this out."

Lorelai looked down and noticed that her hand was still on top of Luke's. She quickly removed her hand from on top of his and turned her attention towards her pie. How had she not noticed they had practically been holding hands for a good five minutes? It had just felt so comfortable and right, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Man, was that scary.

Lorelai tried to distract herself from thoughts of touching Luke by taking a really huge bite of her pie.

Luke saw the way that Lorelai had looked at their hands and then quickly removed her hand from on top of his. He assumed she hadn't realized what she was doing, and it appeared he was right. Luke was quickly growing frustrated with the entire Lorelai situation. Sometimes it seemed like maybe just maybe she liked him too. Then a second later she would seem so oblivious and not interested. She was the queen of the mixed message. Why couldn't he just get over it already?

"Valerie Bertinelli!" Lorelai suddenly yelled breaking the silence that had come over the diner.

"Who told you?" Luke exclaimed.

"Who told me, Luke? I had three wrong guesses before I got it. " Lorelai said. "It should have been my first guess. Wonder Woman was too flashy. You are a simple man with simple girl next door tastes!"

"I do not have girl next door tastes."

Lorelai said nothing. She did however begin to quietly hum the theme song to _One Day at a Time_.

Lorelai then turned to face Luke with a devious smile playing at her lips . She was dying to see how annoyed he was at her.

However, when Luke caught sight of Lorelai's face he burst into laughter.

"What?" Lorelai immediately asked. "What is so funny?"

"You have pie all over your face." Luke said through his laughter.

"What? Seriously, where is it?" Lorelai anxiously asked.

Lorelai began to take her tongue and lick around her mouth in order to remove any remnants of pie.

"You are completely missing it." Luke pronounced. His voice got just a touch bit huskier as her watched her tongue slide over her mouth.

"Well, help me out then." Lorelai said impatiently.

Lorelai didn't realize the full weight of her request until Luke slowly leaned in closer to her face. Lorelai began to feel like she was on fire as Luke got closer and closer to her. She felt her cheeks begin to flush in what she was sure was a deep red.

Luke lightly grazed his thumb over the corner of her mouth to remove the offending piece of pie. He was so close to her it was making her a little loopy. Without any real idea of consequences she began to slowly lean in to his touch. She was like a kitten when it was being petted brushing back against his hand. The feel of his hand on her face made it feel like tiny fireworks were going off in her stomach. She had never wanted a man to kiss her more in her life then she did at that very second. That particular thought was the only clear thing in Lorelai's head.

The sparkle of Lorelai's eyes was putting Luke into some trance like state. He kept his hand on her face and began to slowly inch his own face closer to Lorelai's. He was finally going to kiss her, consequences be damned. He was so close now that could feel her hot breath on his lips. Just a tiny movement forward and finally their lips would meet.

"No need for a menu Luke I know exactly what I want!" The sound of the bell accompanied by Kirk's voice made the pair jump apart. Luke quickly stood up and Lorelai almost toppled over on her stool. Kirk being Kirk was completely oblivious.

"I have had the strangest urge for toast and jelly with a big glass of milk!" Kirk announced happily has he took a seat on the opposite side of Lorelai.

Lorelai and Luke exchanged a_ 'did he really just say that' _look at each other before glancing away shyly remembering what had just almost happened.

"Man this place is dead , " Kirk noted." Everyone must be out enjoying their baskets. I myself am enjoying the money I got from selling Jackson my basket. Speaking of my newly found riches make that two pieces of toast Luke. I am in the money today!"

"Coming right up, Kirk" Luke said extra gruffly. As her made his way around to the other side of the counter her couldn't help but take another look at Lorelai. Lorelai felt Luke's eyes on her. She looked back because it was the only thing she could get her body to do. She had never truly been in shock until that very moment. After a few deep breaths she took her eyes off of Luke's and found the ability to speak.

"I should go." Lorelai couldn't control the quivering sound in her voice. "Thanks for the pie."

She gave Luke one last glance before grabbing her purse and heading out the door of the diner.


	3. Attack of the Killer Bookshelf

**Moments**

**Authors Note: **Sorry it took me so long to update. I went on a vacation to Las Vegas and well let's just say it took me awhile to even remember my own name let alone to write this thing…But its here now, woo hoo! Thanks so much for all the reviews, I love them. They make me happy. Keep on doing what you're doing.

**Premise: **A lovely little Luke and Lorelai story that starts right after Dean Interrupts the pair eating in the gazebo in _A Tisket A Tasket _and goes from there….

**Chapter 3 "Attack of the Killer Bookshelf"**

It was Saturday night and Lorelai Gilmore had an exciting night planned of doing absolutely nothing. To start this occasion off right, it was six o' clock and Lorelai already had her pajamas on. She was spread out on her couch with a blanket covering her mid section and a little pillow pressed against her cheek. She was completely zoned out. She stared at the television in front of her intently. Sure, she has seen _Space Camp_ a million times, it was after all a true eighties classic. However, that didn't stop her from still being in awe of Kelly Preston's eye make up. The sheer amount alone was something to be marveled at. It wasn't until she heard a scream coming from the other room that she took her attention off of the screen.

"MOM! Help! I am being attacked by my own books!" Rory yelped.

Lorelai immediately leaped up from the couch and ran into Rory's room.

"You're being attacked by your what?" Lorelai said as she made her way inside the room. She looked at the sight before her and couldn't help but start laughing. There were books all around Rory and she was feebly trying to hold up the side of her bookshelf that had fallen down. It wasn't working and books were still hurling toward her on the book slide that the lopsided shelf created.

"Oh, you really are being attacked by your books." Lorelai giggled.

"It's not funny, Mom." Rory said seriously. "I need help."

Still laughing, Lorelai went over to the other end of the shelf coming to Rory's aid. She grabbed the books that remained on the shelf and placed them on Rory's bed.

"There you go. Your precious books are safe. You can let go of that shelf now."

"Thank god." Rory exclaimed. She dropped the broken side of the shelf and let it hang off her wall. "My books are precious you know. They are like my children. I wouldn't laugh at you if you were trying to hold something up so I wouldn't fall onto the ground and possibly be damaged."

"We need to get you drunk or pierced or tattooed or something. That little speech makes me feel as though you are a few tiny steps away from playing Dungeons and Dragons." Lorelai joked.

Rory shot her mother a dirty look and Lorelai relented. "Okay, you are right. Your books are precious and if they ever attack you again I promise not to laugh."

"Good, glad that's settled." Rory replied. Rory then began to carefully take the books that had fallen on the floor and stack them on her bed.

"Okay, we are clearly going to need to get this fixed. Who exactly do you call when a book shelf falls down?" Lorelai wondered. "And do not say Ghostbusters!"

"I wouldn't dream of it. That is a good question, though. It would be nice if it could be fixed sooner rather than later. I mean I am spending the night at Lane's tonight but tomorrow I will be occupying the place my poor homeless books are sleeping." Rory responded.

"Maybe the yellow pages, maybe there is a _we fix your broken book shelves_ company." Lorelai idly wondered.

"I wouldn't bet on that. Oh I know, we can call Luke. I am sure he knows how to fix something like this. He can bring Bert over tonight and by the time I am home tomorrow my books will have a place to live." Rory said triumphantly.

"I don't want to call, Luke." Lorelai immediately responded.

Luke and Lorelai's little encounter at the diner a few days ago had sufficiently freaked Lorelai out. When she allowed herself to ponder what almost happened, usually when she was trying to sleep, her mind was all over the place. She would go from thinking that the almost kissing was all in head, to praying that it was. She would try and convince herself that it was a fluke and that it would never be repeated. But by far the scariest thought that was floating around her mind was the small hope that it wasn't in her head, and at some point might happen again, this time with no interruption. She felt like avoiding him and especially avoiding being alone with him was for the best. Rory's idea went against both of the fundamental ground rules Lorelai had set for herself.

"Why? He always helps with stuff around here. I am sure he'd be willing to help us out." Rory reasoned.

"Yeah, I just wouldn't want to bother him." Lorelai responded.

"You never minded bothering him before."

"I have too." Lorelai indignantly replied.

"Um have not. Plus you wouldn't be bothering him." Rory added hoping her mom wouldn't ask her to elaborate.

"How do you know that?" Lorelai wondered.

"I just know."

"And you just know how?" Lorelai questioned.

"Oh come on mom. Don't make me say it and then you get all defensive…" Rory began.

"Say what?" Lorelai asked exasperated.

"Okay, lets just say that I doubt Luke would mind fixing the book shelves if it meant he got to see you." Rory tried her best at diplomacy.

"Oh god not this again, for the last time Luke does not have a thing for me!" Lorelai said automatically. She wasn't as sure about that as she had been in the past but she really didn't need Rory to know that.

"Did you two fight? Is that why you don't want him over here?" Rory asked. "Was it about Jess, again?"

"We did not fight." Lorelai answered.

"Fine, then there is no good reason not to at least call him and ask."

"Yes there is."

"Fine then what is it?" Rory questioned.

"I already told you!" Lorelai yelled her face red with frustration.

"If you don't call him and ask I will." Rory calmly stated. Something was going on with her mom and Luke. The writing had been on the wall for days. Her mom kept making up excuses to not go to Luke's and when they did stop by Lorelai was always in some imaginary hurry. Rory was tired of it. If her mom wasn't going to fix whatever it was she was just going to have to give her a little push in the right direction.

"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed. "You wouldn't."

Rory picked up the cordless phone and began to dial.

"Fredo!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Traitor, that's it I am selling you to the next circus that comes to town."

Rory ignored Lorelai's comments as Luke came on to the line. The second Rory began to speak Lorelai had her full attention on listening to Rory's side of the conversation.

"Hey Luke, it's Rory…. Yeah, I am fine… My mom's fine too... Are you busy? No, not at all… Oh okay cool…. Well yeah, it's just my book shelf broke…. Yeah it pretty much attacked me… I was just wondering if you know you had time later maybe you could come by and look at it. Bring Bert… Bert is your took box... I helped my mom name it… You will. Thank you so much… I appreciate it. 8 o' clock sounds great."

Lorelai vigorously shook her head NOOO but Rory ignored her. Lorelai was feeling more and more nauseous by the second.

"Okay my mom will see you then. Bye Luke." Rory said as she hung up the phone.

"You can't go to Lane's tonight!" Lorelai cried out as her daughter hung up the phone.

"Um yeah I can. You will be fine mom. Whatever didn't happen with Luke. It will be fine. I am going now." Rory said picking up her back pack.

"No you aren't. I am the mom and I say you need to stay here with me and finish watching _Space Camp_. It's a very suspense filled movie. Will they make it back to NASA? You just don't know."

"Okay see you tomorrow. Tell Luke I said thanks again when you see him." Rory said as she left her room.

Lorelai quickly followed her daughter out of her room and to the front door.

"Don't go." Lorelai pleaded.

"Just make up with him." Rory said. She just knew they were fighting! It was the only explanation for her mother's weird behavior.

"For the last time we are not fighting!" Lorelai reiterated.

"Whatever. I love you. See you tomorrow." Rory said as she kissed her mom on the cheek and walked out the door.

The sound of the door closing reverberated in Lorelai's ears.

"Luke is coming over in 2 hours." She said softy to her now empty house.

She quickly looked in the mirror in her hall. She took in the site before her. No make up, hair in pigtails, bewitched pajamas.

"Son of a B word, I need to change!" Lorelai exclaimed before making a mad dash upstairs.

* * *

Two hours and seven different _'I look messy cute because I am not trying too hard'_ outfits later Luke arrived at Lorelai's house.

"So yeah the books just kept falling on her head. I tried really hard not to laugh. I really did. But come on it was funny." Lorelai rambled as she sat on the only corner of Rory's bed not occupied by books. Her current plan was to never stop talking. She figured if she didn't leave an opening he could never bring up what had happened in the diner and a new and equally frightening moment could not occur either. So far she had been talking for about twenty minutes.

"Lorelai," Luke said gruffly.

"Yeah," Lorelai said meekly. Here it is she thought. He is going to bring it up and I have no place to run because we are in my house. This is so bad.

"Maybe you want to finish the movie you have paused out there. I can finish this on my own." Luke suggested, "In silence."

"Did you just whisper in silence? Are you saying I am talking too much? I am hurt, Luke. HURT!" Lorelai said mock outraged. Well, this worked too. Nothing awkward could happen if they were in separate rooms.

"Go watch your movie." Luke said dryly.

"Fine… Fine, but there will come a day when you will need my verbal skills. And I will say no you can not have my verbal skills, because you insinuated that I talk too much. And you will cry on that day, Luke Danes. You will cry like a little girl with a skinned knee." Lorelai promised as she walked out the door.

"Right, I am sure if I understood a word of what you just said I would be very contrite right now." Luke replied.

"You would be, Mister. …" Lorelai called from the other room before sitting back down on to the couch and unpausing _Space Camp_.

* * *

"Okay all fixed. I was going to put her books back on the shelf but I had a feeling that she has a special order and I didn't want mess anything up." Luke said some time later as he walked in to the now darkened living room.

Lorelai looked up at Luke from the couch as the credits of her movie rolled on the television screen. "Thanks Luke. I appreciate it and so does Rory."

"No problem." Luke quickly returned.

An awkward silence overtook the room as Luke and Lorelai just stared at each other in the relative darkness. Luke wanted to ask her why she hadn't been in the restaurant much the last few days. Actually, he had a pretty good idea why. What he really wanted to ask is if they had almost kissed or if he had been dreaming the whole thing. Well to be honest, he thought he knew that answer to that as well. The real truth was he had missed her the last couple of days and just wasn't ready to leave.

Lorelai wanted to ask him to stay and at the same time was praying he would go home. Luke was so confusing. No wait scratch that, he was one of the most uncomplicated men she had ever met. Lately it was her that was confused whenever he walked into the room. She saw him and suddenly she was wound so tight she was afraid at any moment she would unravel. One look, one touch, and she would come undone, do something impulsive, and screw up a wonderful friendship. Hell, it had all but happened that day with her basket.

Suddenly Lorelai couldn't stand the quiet anymore and she blurted out the first thing that came to her head. "Luke, would you maybe want to stay and watch the next movie."

"Uh, sure okay," Luke said stumbling over every word. Why did this woman make him so nervous?

"Only if you want, I mean if you need to get back to the diner I understand." Lorelai was already trying to backtrack.

"No, I could stay. I mean if you want me to. It was dead when I left the diner, and Caesar has it covered."

"I wouldn't have asked, if I didn't want you to." Lorelai sincerely replied. She wanted him to stay all right that was the problem.

"Come on, sit down. I won't bite." Lorelai said as she patted the couch next to her. She could do this. She could have a totally platonic friendly movie night with Luke. She could shake all the confusing feelings out of her head and just focus on the movie. She could also slide down a rainbow and find a pot of gold and leprechaun on the other side of it. Sufficed to say Lorelai knew she was in trouble.

"So what are we going to watch?" Luke asked as he sat.

"Well, I am having a Sigourney Weaver marathon. You just missed _Space Camp_ and let me tell you, you really missed out. I still have _Working Girl_ and _Alien_ left for tonight. You wouldn't think it but Sigourney really has a large body of work. I mean this turned into an all weekend long marathon. Rory made me promise we would watch _Galaxy Quest _and _Ghostbusters_ together. So anyway as I was saying we have _Alien_ and _Working Girl _left for tonight. I am thinking you probably want to watch _Alien_. Unless you are secretly a chick flick lover, or have some kind of top secret crush on Melanie Griffith, oh or maybe Harrison Ford…"

"Lorelai put on the _Alien _movie." Luke said in a warning tone.

"Yes, sir," Lorelai said as she got up to put the movie in. She even gave Luke a little salute on her way back to the couch.

"Now normally there is an extensive list of movie night rules. However, this movie scares the crap out of me so the rules are really a moot point. I won't be following any of them and I don't expect anything from my soldiers that I don't expect from myself." Lorelai said seriously.

"Okay." Luke said slightly bewildered. "If this movie scares you, why watch it?"

It wasn't until Lorelai stopped talking that she took notice of the fact that when she had sat back down she had sat extremely close to Luke. She was so close that when Luke made the slightest movement with his leg his thigh brushed against Lorelai's. She couldn't help the tingly feeling that rushed through her body at the contact.

"Cause sometimes scary can be good." Lorelai whispered giving Luke a meaningful glance before shyly looking away.

"I guess you are right about that." Luke said quietly. He gently put his hand on top of Lorelai's knee giving it a tiny squeeze before resting his hands in his own lap.

Luke didn't know what has possessed him to do that, but he honestly couldn't say he was sorry about it. It had felt good to touch Lorelai even for a second and he supposed that the gesture could be perceived as purely platonic. Lorelai on the other hand tried to concentrate on the television screen while she silently thanked god she was wearing jeans so Luke couldn't see the goose bumps he had just caused with his light touch.

Lorelai had a feeling that this was going to be the longest movie night of her life.


	4. Line in the Sand

**Moments**

**Authors Note: **Chapter four it's like chapter three but not. That's my slogan for this chapter. It's catchy right? Ha ha. Review, please. I love me some feedback. Thank you kindly.

**Premise: **A lovely little Luke and Lorelai story that starts right after Dean Interrupts the pair eating in the gazebo in _A Tisket A Tasket _and goes from there….

**Chapter 4 "Line in the Sand":**

Luke sat staring at the screen in front of him with absolutely no idea what was happening. He was trying to concentrate on the movie. He really was. It was just impossible. It was completely and utterly impossible. How the hell was he supposed to pay attention to the movie when Lorelai's head was buried in his shoulder? Everything about her was overwhelming him. The smell of her hair was by far the best thing his nose had ever encountered. He felt like a walking cliché even thinking that particular thought, but he couldn't help it. It was clichéd for a reason; it was just a fact that most girls smell good. Lorelai in particular smelled like vanilla and some kind of orange citrusy thing and the combination was filling Luke's head with all kinds of inappropriate thoughts.

Adding fuel to the inappropriate thoughts fire was the fact that Lorelai had been practically all over Luke for about twenty minutes. He had to contend with the indescribable feeling of having Lorelai's hands wrapped tightly around his arm. The feeling of her fingers pressed firmly into his skin. How her eyelashes were lightly fluttering, brushing his shoulder ever so slightly. Luke was surprised that he was still breathing.

For a second, Luke thought he might actually be able to think about something other than her. She had finally begun to slowly pull back from his shoulder. His hope quickly evaporated when something, for the life of him he couldn't tell you what, happened on screen and she quickly nuzzled her face back into his arm. This time he could feel her lips smashed against his flannel covered arm, along with all the previous space infractions. At that moment something in him snapped. Luke decided that she was _trying_ to torture him.

Suddenly, all the desire he felt was replaced by a burst of anger. It seemed that it was Lorelai who always trying to tip toe over the line they had placed in the proverbial sand. The line between friends and something more that they were never allowed to completely cross. It was completely frustrating because he didn't even want that stupid line there in the first place. She was the one that had created the ridiculous line. She was the one who had basically said to him in many different ways and on many different occasions that his friendship meant something to her. That she wasn't willing to screw it up by taking it any further than that. Okay, so maybe she never said it outright but he could read between the lines. In fact, she had made her opinion on their relationship perfectly clear just a couple of months ago. She had gone out on a date with that stupid cartoon t shirt wearing kid. Luke wasn't dense. He knew he had been an ass to her after he had found out she had been on her '_casual_' date. He also knew she probably had an idea as to why he was acting like he was even though she feigned innocence. She had to have known why it bothered him. And just when Luke was ready to write her off she had come into the diner talking about how she sucked at dating and asking if she 'had him'. God, of course she had him. That was the whole problem. However, he knew exactly what she was trying to tell him and he accepted it without a fight. They had a good friendship and that was going to be it. She didn't want to lose what they had, and he didn't want to be lost. Yet, here she was hugging his arm, and last week she had made him buy her basket, not to mention the fact that if Kirk hadn't interrupted their little moment in the diner they probably would have kissed. If she wanted to just be friends she wasn't holding up her end of the bargain.

"Hey, Lorelai are you planning on ever giving me my arm back?" Luke finally asked. He tried to keep his tone as even as possible. She didn't need to know how much this was affecting him.

"When the movies over, sure." was Lorelai's muffled reply.

"Oh jeez," Luke sighed.

Lorelai pulled back slightly to look at Luke's face. Her hands were still around his arm.

"Come on, Luke I'm scared." Lorelai pouted as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

Truth be told she wasn't really that scared. She has seen this movie enough to know when she needed to avert her eyes. Sure, it had been a genuinely scary part when she first buried her head into Luke shoulder and wrapped her hands around his arm. But, her decision to do that had less to do with the movie and more to do with the fact that every brush of his leg was driving Lorelai completely insane with the need for more contact from the man. So, she just did it. She just made the leap. Once she had gotten there his arm was so muscular and his shoulder felt so nice she just didn't want to pull away. That wasn't so terrible now was it? Oh hell, Lorelai knew she was currently playing with fire. It seemed every time she was in such close quarters with Luke all her logical reasons for keeping their relationship purely platonic went out the window and she felt the need to push a little at the constraints she had placed on their friendship.

"It takes me about five times before I can watch a movie like this without looking away. Oh except for _The Shining._ I still haven't seen that entire movie without looking away. When Jack goes into room 237 and that woman is in the bathtub, my eyes are in a pillow simple as that. It will never change. I don't want to see it. I just know I don't. " Lorelai continued. " I mean those twins give me enough nightmares. You wouldn't want me to have nightmares tonight would you, Luke?"

"I thought you said you had seen this movie countless times." Luke questioned. He knew her better then she thought he did, something was off.

"Oh I have. Rory loves stuff like this. When we first bought it on DVD we watched it like every weekend." Lorelai quickly responded. She hadn't realized what she was letting slip.

"So that's certainly more than five times. So you have seen this whole thing without covering your eyes. I mean you did just say that, that Shining movie is the only one you haven't see all of. Yet, you have claimed my shoulder until the end of this movie. For stuff you have already seen. Interesting. " Luke said with a smirk. _Try and get out of this one Lorelai Gilmore!_

Crap. Lorelai thought. Say something clever. Say something witty. Fix this. You have pushed far enough for tonight. Retreat! Step away from the line.

"Um, well it's a very nice shoulder." Lorelai fumbled. Her mouth had gone with honesty without even asking her head about it.

"Oh it is, is it?" Luke quickly returned. He was as close to grinning as Lorelai had ever seen.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that…" Lorelai floundered. Why had she said that? Why? Damn it.

"You just meant…" Luke prompted when Lorelai had trailed off. He loved it when he got to turn the tables on Lorelai. His anger was now completely gone and in its place was utter amusement.

Luke turned his head in anticipation of her answer. They were once again face to face, that same few inches separating them.

"I meant that… See what I meant was… I mean…. So this movie has aliens in it and…. I was just…Oh to hell with it," Lorelai finally whispered. She leaned in and closed the gap between them all plans of retreating flying right out of the window.

Their lips made the absolute lightest of contact. It was practically nothing and yet neither one of them could find the ability to move or breathe. Luke was in utter shock that this was finally, actually happening. Lorelai was just as shocked that she had actually made a move. To sum it up they were both completely stunned. Neither one of them made any attempt to back away, or deepen the kiss. They were completely and utterly still against each other's lips. A tingly sensation rushed down the length of Lorelai's back at the light brush of his lips against hers and she was about to seek more contact when a noise stopped her.

"Mom, I am home! Mrs. Kim found Lane and me eating a bag of chips and I was banned from the house for a week." Rory called out as the front door slammed behind her.

The spell Lorelai was under immediately broke and she flung herself on to the other side of the couch as far away from Luke as possible. Her eyes were wide with shock and she was still bouncing from the move when Rory came into the room.

"So did Luke come and fix the book shelves?" Rory asked as she came into the room completely oblivious.

"Oh, hi Luke," She said as she looked down at Luke sitting perfectly still on the couch. "I guess the answer to my question is yes."

In the back of his mind Luke knew he was supposed to respond to what Rory was saying but he was pretty sure Lorelai had just rendered him mute. She had kissed him. Well kind of, their lips had touched. His lips had touched Lorelai lips and then she had jumped away like he was a carrier of the bubonic plague. Now Rory was here. Too many thing were happening at once. He tried saying something but nothing came out. Yes, he was definitely mute.

On the other side of the spectrum it seemed Lorelai's problem was that she could speak enough for the both of them.

"Yeah, he fixed the shelves. Fixed them good. Not to mention promptly. That's Luke alright good and prompt. Um, not that I know anymore about Luke then the average person does. Why would I? Anyway, the shelves are fixed and Luke and I were just sitting here watching_ Alien_. Ya know Sigourney weekend and all. Just watching a movie you know like people do. You know normal friend like shanagans." Lorelai nervously spattered.

"Okay, well I think I will go put my books back." Rory said in bewildered tone. "Thanks again Luke."

"I should go." Luke found the ability to speak as he suddenly popped up off the couch.

"Oh don't leave on my account." Rory quickly answered. Something was going on with him and her mom for sure. The weirdness level in the house was quickly approaching an eleven.

"No, I am not. Oh and you are welcome by the way. Sorry I didn't say that earlier. The shelves were no big deal. It's just uh late. I have to open the diner tomorrow and…It's well late." Luke clumsily explained.

Lorelai looked at Luke with curiosity. He was so nervous. Yeah, she was too but he was like uber nervous.

"Oh well okay, bye Luke. See you tomorrow, I am sure." Rory replied as she made her way into the room.

The sound of Rory's door shutting compelled Lorelai to speak.

"Luke." She began. It was just his name but it was laced with so many things. Fear, questions, and something else Luke couldn't quite place. "We should probably talk."

"Rory's here. We can talk later. It's okay." Luke hated talking. He especially hated it when he was pretty sure he knew what Lorelai was going to say. She would try and explain that what just happened had been an accident, or a mistake, or that she was delirious from a high fever she wasn't aware she had until just now. He knew Lorelai and the way she had flung herself off of him gave him a pretty good idea where any conversation between them was headed.

"Oh okay." Lorelai seemed almost disappointed but Luke was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice.

"I mean I know you wanted to watch those movies with Rory anyway. Call her back in here and tell her the crazy man left and she doesn't need to hide in her room anymore." Luke continued.

"Rory doesn't think you are a crazy man."

"Well, whatever. Good night, Lorelai." Luke said almost a little sadly.

As he walked towards her front door Lorelai ran to catch up to him.

"Luke, are you okay?" Lorelai questioned.

"I am fine," Was Luke's instant reply.

"Are we okay?" Lorelai asked concerned.

"We are fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Luke gruffly replied.

"And we will talk." Lorelai tried to confirm.

"Yes, we will talk."

"I mean what just happened…." Lorelai started.

"Lorelai its fine, everything is fine. I get it. Things happen. Go have fun watching that one movie Rory was so excited to see. The one about busting ghosts or whatever don't you worry about me."

"Uh okay, I guess. Um night, Luke." The confusion was apparent in Lorelai's voice as she spoke.

"Night," Luke said once more before heading out the door.

The door slammed shut. Leaving a completely puzzled Lorelai staring at it like it would give her all the answers as to what had just happened in the last five minutes.

"Rooorrryyy! In case you are keeping tabs or something, it is now official your mother is a complete idiot." Lorelai yelled. She cast her eyes downward and headed towards her bedroom.

"Mom, what?" Rory called opening the door from her room and peeking her head out.

Lorelai paused on the staircase, "Never mind, I just need to go to sleep. Night, Rory."

"You sure, you don't seem fine." Rory asked concerned.

"Yeah, nothing a time machine won't fix," Lorelai quipped as she finished walking up the stairs and into her room.

She slammed her bedroom door shut with a little more force then necessary. She looked around for a brief second at her disaster area of a room. She sighed heavily before flinging herself stomach first on to her clothes covered bed.

"Worlds biggest idiot," She mumbled into her pillow closing her eyes and willing sleep to come.


End file.
